Clay did not look like he had just lost his brother. In fact, there were no emotions written on him. The boy looked lifeless.

From the instant she left her vehicle, officer Matthew had already started investigating the regions around the Alister house. It wasn't hard to notice the grim atmosphere shrouding the grey building. Though it looked clean and welcoming, there were no bikes in the yard, there were no birds on the lawn or leaves.

While the other houses had their windows open to let light in, this one was completely locked up. Nothing seemed to want to stop foot here. Nothing except for her.

"Matthew," another officer beckoned "keep up" His voice, low and demanding, signaled that she was taking too long staring rather than walking with the others.

By the time she got to the door, three out of the five officers there were already inside. They had the simple task of following up on a 9-1-1 call from this house. While they did that, another handful from the department were to investigate some area in the forest. She had overheard them speak about a boy calling about finding a body. The news made her dizzy with excitement.

That's where the action was, not here. If only her plan to convince the chief to let her go with the others had worked. Either way, she was here now and would do her utmost best.

"Ugh, back here again," one of the younger men next to her groaned in disgust.

"What's with this family?" his associate snickered, the two of them chuckling under their breaths. The two walked right next to her as they followed the others to what she would assume was the living room.

Taking quick glances to the back, she glanced into the open kitchen. White walls that matched the light grey outside, there laid a few large stains here and there but they didn't seem to be recent. The wooden floor, well swept and vacuumed with the machine placed next to the refrigerator. A fire extinguisher was resting on top of the table along with a toaster and oven mitts. The dishes, all packed away, the towels folded, someone even pushed the chairs under the tiny table in an orderly manner. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Well, not enough to warrant an investigation of the house.

"If I knew we were going to this house, I would have stayed at the prescient," the two continued to act unprofessional, giving her a headache with their insistent laughter. Why did five officers have to come here, anyway? It's not like they would need backup talking to a kid. These fools could have just remained in the car while the people who are serious do all the work.

"You made the call?" Officer Lewis questioned. They all stopped at the centre of the room, keeping their mouths shut so he could get what they came here for.

Yet for all, her eyes kept looking at the boy like he was a talking do-nut. He sat there with slouched shoulders and his hands resting on either side of him. There were tear stains covering his cheeks, matching with the redness in his eyes and the blank expression on his face. She wondered whether the boy had noticed their entrance or was too exhausted to care.

"Clay, I asked you a question." Officer Lewis seemed to have known the boy's name well, spitting it out with a hint of frustration.

"Yes."

She read his lips, unable to hear his weak voice from the distance. Speaking was something the boy was trying to avoid. Black lines under his eyes made it clear he stayed in that spot for the entire night, just sitting in the darkness like a raccoon.

"Why don't you tell us what happened?" The man tried to get an explanation of what happened.

"I already told the operator, I saw my brother's dead body in the forest." Clay spoke through a rugged voice. "Why are you here with me? You should find the man that did that to him."

"Man? We heard nothing about a man."

Why was he so quick to say it was a man? Looking down, Officer Matthew noticed he still had his boots on, having brought mud from the door to where he sat. It had not rained recently, so why would they be muddy? He was in the forest, wasn't he? The mud under his boots and covering half his body told her that was a yes.

The boy looked to be thinking for a moment but brushed the question off, not wanting to say too much. He knew something he didn't want to share with them. Then why call the police in the first place?

As if reading her mind, Officer Lewis continued, "What were you doing in the forest, Clay?"

"I already said I wanted to make sure my brother wasn't there." He clenched his jaw. Furrowing his brows as if saying 'what kind of stupid question is that?'

"Why would you think he was in the forest in the first place?"

"Because I saw -" the boy stopped, retreating to his blank expression.

"What did you see?" It didn't take a psychologist to know he would not answer that question so the man continued. "So you just went to the forest and see your brother's dead body, huh? And instead of calling the police from there, you left the body and run home."

Although it sounded far-fetched, Officer Lewis was completely out of line to talk to the boy like that. She would never come out and tell him that directly, but he wasn't talking to the boy like he was a victim. He was practically yelling at him like Clay was wasting their time telling them made up fairy tales.

"There's no blood on you, no actual evidence that Jonah is dead." So the officer knew the family. "In fact, Mr Simon said he called in sick yesterday."

"I told you he's dead."

"Then show us a body."

"I ALREADY TOLD YOU WHERE IT IS!!"

Water poured out from his eyes uncontrollably. He sobbed but made no noises; he allowed the tears to do what they want and remained silent.

Her fellow officers tried their best to hold back laughter, Officer Lewis, on the other hand, was not having it. The man moved up and down in whatever space was available, dialling a number slowly on the phone he fished out of pocket. When the number was entered, he placed the phone down on the table so everyone in the room could hear it ringing.

"Hello?" A female voice spoke from the device. She immediately realised that it was another officer. One of those that she was jealous of because they went to the forest.

"Officer Sanchez, are you at the alleged crime scene?" Officer Lewis spoke into the phone.

"Yes, Lewis but it isn't much of a crime scene. There's nobody, no blood, not even footprints in the mud." She responded.

That was all Officer Lewis needed.

Clay's widened, practically jumping off the couch in disbelief. His tears were long gone, and the colour drained from his face.

"No, no, no, that's not true. I was there, I saw him there," he said frantically like he was on fifteen shots of coffee, " They must not be in the right place."

"The forest only has one clearing," the man growled "Sanchez, we can end things for today, it was just another made-up story."

"Okay sir," the voice said before the phone cut off.

"Sir why did you do that!" As soon as she said that and took two steps closer to him she knew that she was out of line.

"It's fine, Matthew," he stated.

"No, it's not fine, you have a victim here who is clearly traumatised from something he saw and there is a possibility that something might have happened to his brother but yet you call off the investigation." She took a deep breath, thinking about any way she could reverse time to a minute ago.

He scanned her face for a few seconds, then looked at the other three standing behind.

"You three, look around for any signs of struggle or forced entry." He turned to the others, visibly exhausted from what seemed to be a waste of his time.

With that, they scattered in every which direction. He expected those hyenas to do a thorough search? They had acorns for brains, what could they do?

Knowingly, that could not have been what this was about. He was getting rid of them so she, the boy and himself could be alone.

"I admire your passion for the job officer Matthew but you do not know this town like the rest of us," he began, taking a seat on the two-seater placed in front of him "I already know what happened here."

Officer Lewis was a very smart man. She could give credit where it is due. Not only but he was a good and loyal officer which is why everyone listened to his orders so attentively but in their instance, she couldn't help but question whether his judgement was sound or just him speaking out of his ass.

"From the moment I knew an Alister had called the police I knew something was fishy about this entire thing. Oh, and surprise, it was because your brother is "dead"." He made air quotes with his fingers. Had he not been her superior she would have quickly shot a punch across his face for him mocking the boy in such a manner?

"Just like your mother right Clay."

"What does she have to do with any of this? I c-called you because my brother is dead and I thought you would do your job and help."

"We are trying to help but there is nobody, no evidence that points to kidnapping and your withholding information. Not only that, but you seemed awfully calm for someone that just saw the body of their dead brother. You still haven't told us why you thought he was in the forest. If I called in sick from work, I don't think I would leave my car here and go for such a far walk." He was demeaning the boy, making fun of and ignoring his claims. This wasn't the man she saw at the beginning when they entered the house. What's wrong with him?

What's wrong with all of them? How could they treat him like that?

She saw Clay look to her for help, but she couldn't grant him that wish. If she spoke up for the boy now, it would seem like she was undermining her superior's judgement. She was already out of line, she would not get transferred a second time.

"Lewis we found something in his room," one officer returned from upstairs clutching something in his hand. The smile on his face didn't tell her that there was a case here, it told her that once again, Officer Lewis was getting the evidence he needed to further his statements. He handed over a pill bottle to the man's much thicker hands, making him smile.

"I knew you had to be on something," Officer Lewis shook the container to stress his point.

"The way I see it, you came home from school, took one too many of these and started imagining things like your brother getting kidnapped and killed. You probably wondered off into the backyard and feel getting all muddy and called us to waste our time."

Was he serious right now? That's a lot of bullshit if you ask her.

"You never planned to help me did you," the boy hissed finally glaring into the man's eyes. If looks could kill, everyone in here would be dead.

"But sir," she tried "that doesn't explain where his brother is."

"That one, he probably had something to do out of town for a while. For all I know, he is never coming back. It wouldn't be the first for this family, would it?"

Clay left off the couch with his shoulders straight up.

"Get out," He said calmly, showing he was done with all of this. Him and her both.

Officer Lewis smirked, getting up slowly and calling for the others. Everyone shuffled to through the house, retracing all their steps. It wasn't long before they were all on the boy's doorstep.

"I should have known people like you wouldn't help," Clay angrily stated from behind the half-open door.

"You honestly think we are idiotic enough to fall for the same trick twice?" was all Officer Lewis could get out before he slammed the door in his face.

By the time it was over however, Officer Matthew was already in her car knowing she would understand whatever that ordeal was later.